Who Should You Hire to Remodel Your Kitchen?

The cost of remodeling mistakes has never been higher. Don’t let the daunting task of choosing the right professionals drive you into DIY territory. With enough prep and prior knowledge, you can get the results you want on a reasonable timeline and budget.

Today, we’re answering The Big Question: Who should you hire to remodel your kitchen? We’ll learn the difference between the two most relevant professional titles in the field, showing how each is essential to kitchen remodeling success.

What is a kitchen designer?

Kitchen designers handle the function, flow, and aesthetics of a kitchen remodel. They help with material selection and also procurement. However, this is just a surface-level summary. A kitchen designer has a range of skills and concentrations:

• Coordinating the finishes of each design element

• Optimizing your workflows with thoughtful layouts

• Adding custom details that level up results

• Serving as a project manager on your remodel

• Providing visuals like 3D renders to accurately preview the project

• Sourcing the most important parts of your kitchen remodel, such as cabinets

Most importantly, kitchen designers have extensive experience in this field. It isn’t a side job for other professionals, such as a realtor. 

What is a kitchen contractor?

Kitchen contractors complete the physical work necessary to execute the design. From demolition to utilities and installation, their skills make the vision real. The broad range of tasks they’re responsible for includes, but is not limited to:

• Ensuring the work is up to code and obtaining permits

• Coordinating various tradespeople, from tile setters to plumbers

• Professional installation of all kitchen components

• Handling logistics while staying on time and within budget

• Checking the work of all involved laborers

• Providing oversight on details or issues that may arise

What’s the difference between a contractor and a subcontractor?

A kitchen contractor is responsible for the overall result of your kitchen remodel. Subcontractors are skilled workers who specialize in one area, helping the contractor achieve their goal. For example, if you hire a general contractor to remodel your kitchen, they may subcontract:

• Plumbers

• Electricians

• Tile setters

• HVAC technicians

• Drywallers

• Countertop fabricators

• Painters

• Cabinet installers

Some contractors have personal expertise or in-house labor for one or more of these areas. It’s good to know in advance what your contractor will and won’t be contracting out.

Kitchen designer vs. kitchen contractor: Key differences

So, who should you hire to remodel your kitchen, a designer or a contractor? You’ll likely need both, and here’s why.

Focus

Kitchen designers and contractors want the same thing (your ideal kitchen), but they go about it in different ways. A kitchen designer listens to and collaborates with you to create a vision. They make careful plans, fine-tune them based on your feedback and habits, and start locating what you need. 

A kitchen contractor is all about physical manifestation. They work in construction and coordinate each job in a specific sequence. Their job goes much more smoothly when the design is complete before they break ground.

Credentials

Designers have deeper experience in planning spaces and the functional basics of a kitchen. This may come with a range of certifications. Kitchen designers foresee things other parties involved in a remodel do not, such as the effect a particular light fixture will have on the appearance of a backsplash tile. 

Contractors have a state license and are responsible for making sure the final product is up to code. In addition to legal considerations and quality assurance, they are the muscle behind a designer’s creative planning.

Timelines

You must engage a kitchen designer well before a contractor. Having a design before choosing a contractor can have many benefits. Sometimes, you or the designer will already have a contractor in mind. This is useful for consultations throughout the planning process. 

How to choose designers and contractors for a kitchen remodel

Here we have two professionals: one who knows how your kitchen should look and operate, and one who knows how to build that. Here’s how to choose the best:

Get more inside advice on how to choose a kitchen remodeler. 

Why is The Designery the best choice for kitchen remodels?

If you choose to hire a designer and contractor separately, you may find yourself putting on hats you weren’t prepared to wear. 

If you go the route of asking a contractor to help with your design, you may be missing out on designer exclusives like savings on high-ticket items.

The Designery gives you the best of both. As a full-service kitchen remodeler, we help you plan your dream kitchen and find the best deals on top-quality products and materials. From there, we can link you into our network of trusted contractors and subcontractors. 

Not sure where to start? No problem. “Had first meeting today for a kitchen project. We had no idea what we wanted. They were very knowledgeable and helpful, and we wound up picking everything out!” says William, The Designery client. “Couldn’t be more satisfied and looking to move the project with them in the future.”

When it’s time for demo and construction, someone will still be there. “Even after the kitchen was ‘officially’ finished and final payment made, Ted was still here to help with some items. He truly wanted to make sure everything was perfect,” says Marci, another The Designery client. 

“You can tell they genuinely care about their customers and doing what's right. Honestly, it was refreshing compared to my experience with other companies for remodeling projects.”

Schedule a free consultation with a kitchen designer to begin.